This invention relates to apparatus and methods for offering telephone services using the Internet to access web pages for implementing the services problem.
Problem
Recently there has been much talk and some action to implement arrangements for permitting Internet customers to bypass the telephone network and communicate directly using the Internet. In addition, the local telephone system is frequently used as the arrangement for accessing the Internet. However, aside from these two examples, the operations of the Internet and the public switched telephone network have tended to remain separate. As a result, the telephone network has not been able to take full advantage of the powerful capabilities of the Internet.
Solution
The above problem is solved and an advance is made over the teachings of the prior art in accordance with this invention wherein telephone callers are connected through switches and the switches are connected through interface equipment with appropriate data stored in an Internet accessed web page. The data found in the web page can be used to control the establishment of telephone connections, to request further directive data from callers, and to return desired data to the callers. For example, this arrangement can be used to provide advanced operator assistance and directory assistance service through successive menus announced based on data from a web page. Control data from the web page can be used to establish operator assistance type telephone connections. The web server can request the switch to establish a connection to a telephone number that has either been previously dialed into the switch by the telephone customer or has been dialed to the telephone resource and forwarded to the web server.
In one preferred embodiment, a telephone user is connected to a telephone switch. This switch is connected internally or externally to a telephony web browser which selects a web server for providing data. The telephony web browser includes a speech processing announcement server which is connected by voice trunks to the switch. The telephone initially communicates with the switch to request service from a web server; in the preferred embodiment, this initial communication is via an xe2x80x9c800xe2x80x9d number. Thereafter, the telephone resource communicates with a web server through a data connection, and communicates with the telephone through a telephony web browser connected to the telephone by a voice band trunk. The telephone user can communicate with the telephone resource either through dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals or speech input and the speech processing and announcement server communicates with the telephone customer through announcements reflecting the data received from the web server, i.e., the web page. Advantageously, this arrangement allows menu data to be presented to the telephone user and allows the telephone user to select the appropriate menu items or provide proper form input presented in the web page provided by the web server.
When accessed over a telephone line using a telephony web browser, an audio controlled browser, the telephony web browser interprets the HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) output of the web service in a way that is suitable for audio presentation. When used to provide operator services, the web service can be used to drive the telephony web browser to collect digits and play announcements, and can, via the telephony browser, drive the switch for establishing connections. These individual commands can be combined to offer automated collect and automated calling card services. Call control is specified at the web service level using HTML markups created for the purpose of call control. These markups are understood by the telephony web browser and where appropriate, converted in the speech processing and announcement server into audio announcements. The telephony web browser interprets the HTML generated by the web service and converts HTML call control elements to call control elements understood by the switch.
In addition, an operator position may be connected through its own web browser to the web server. The web server can then communicate with the operator position through data displays, (i.e., web pages) and the operator position can send web request data representing operator keystrokes to the web server. Services that are accessed using a visual web browser, e.g., from an operator terminal, may interact with the service as a typical web service. The web service can also drive the operator terminal interface.